Continuous towel ironing structure



Se t. 3, 1968 A. KESSLER ET AL 33%,471

CONTINUOUS TOWEL IRONING STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g loa 0 1 "iii 5.1- 1 LEE as r] INVENTORS ALEC KESSLER a THEODORE ROSEN MMM ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1968 A, ss ET AL 3,399,471

CONTINUOUS TOWEL IRONING STRUCTURE Filed March 23, 1966 Sheets-Sheet 2 Yl-Illlllllll lllllllllllll 1 [ll j\ IlllllLlllLllllllllllIll FlG.

INVENTORS ALEC KESSLER 8 THEODORE ROSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent I 3,399,471 CONTINUOUS TDWEL IRONING STRUCTURE Alec Kessler, 29489 Everett Ave., and Theodore Rosen, 29610 Everett Ave., both of Southfield, Mich. 48075 Filed Mar. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 536,769 12 Claims. (Cl. 382) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention involves a supporting platform or shelf for a moist damp continuous length towel, such as is used in wall cabinet dispensing units, normally being approximately from 100 to 150 feet in length, anrautomatic plate type electrically heated ironing device disposed in a substantially vertical attitude below a towel roll-up device for winding the ironed towel into a finished towel roll ready for re-use. The roll-up device provides the power means for drawing the toweling through the ironer so that a separate power means is not required in the ironer. The ironer is so constructed that the web surfaces of the toweling are subjected to heat and pressure not only by fiat plate portions but also by rollers so that full contact is made by the ironer on both such web surfaces. The contiguous association of these components of the inventive structure provides means for producing the finished roll with greater operator ease, greater efiiciency and with minimum machine operating time.

It is an object of the invention to provide an electrically heated ironing and roll-up device for continuous length toweling; Another object is to provide such a device having single power means for'drawing the toweling through the ironer to the roll-up device and for operating the towel roll-up device whereby intermediate manual handling of a continuous length of toweling is avoided and eliminated.

A further object is to provide continuous automatic ironing and roll wind-up of toweling so as to reduce machine down-time, and to improve the eflicient utilization of equipment for ironing and towel roll wind-up.

These and additional advantages and features of con: struction will become more clearly understood from the description given below in which the terms employed are terms of description and not of limitation. Reference is made to the drawings annexed hereto and made an integral part hereof, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive structure.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical elevational view, partially in section, of that portion taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a View substantially similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 2 but showing the ironing device opened up for admission of toweling thereto.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the wind-up mechanism substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

As shown in the several views of the drawings, the continuous towel ironing and wind-up structure comprises a support framing 12 for a mass of continuous length toweling 8, an ironing device 14 fixedly mounted 3,399,471 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 'ice on the framing portion 16 and a towel roll-up device 18 also supported on a portion 20 of the framing 12.

The ironing device 14 comprises a first ironing plate 22, a pair of rotatable rolls 24, 24 each secured in bearings 26, 26 mounted upon the outer framing 28 for the plate 22, a mass of insulation 30 for the electrical heating elements 32 secured to the underside of the plate, temperature sensing elements 34 secured in the plate adjacent each of the heating elements, and a second ironin-g plate 42 having recesses 44, 44 to complement the rolls 24, 24, electrical heating elements 46, and tempera ture sensing elements 48 secured in the plate 42 adjacent each of the heating elements 46. The second ironing plate 42 is secured in its outer framing 50 which is hinged to the framing 28 at one side by a hinge strip 52 for pivoting the second plate away from the first plate as the occasion requires and as will be more fully described below.

The framing 50 and 28 on the edges opposite the hinge strip 52 are arranged for being clamped together by means of latches 53 or other suitable devices, so that the ironing plates 22 and 42 are in closely adjacent but slightly spaced apart attitude and adapted to apply heat and ironing pressure to and upon each of the toweling web surfaces as the towel is passed through the ironing device 14.

In addition, the ironing device 14 includes a mass of insulation 55 disposed within the framing 50 and filling the space behind the second plate 42, a towel supporting roller 54 supported on brackets 56, 56 attached to the upper end of the framing 50, a vane type roller 58 supported on the brackets 60, 60 secured to and at the lower end of framing 50, an inlet roller 62 supported on brackets 64, also secured to the lower end of outer framing 50 adjacent the towel inlet opening between the ironing plates 22 and 42.

The rolls 24, 24 are preferably made of heat conducting metal and are covered with a layer or layers 70 of asbestos filled material that engages the toweling and causes it to be pressed against the surface of the recesses 44, 44, as the toweling is drawn between the ironing plates 22 and 42. The ironing plates 22 and 42 are also made of a heat conducting metal and are finished at their toweling contacting surfaces with a smooth and polished finish. The rollers 24, 24 rotate in recesses 72, 72 of the ironing plate 22 as well as within the compass of the recesses 44, 44 of the hinged and movable ironing plate 42.

The electrical heating elements 32 are of conventional construction and are secured in any suitable manner to the underside of the ironing plates 22 and 42, where they are closely covered with insulation 30 and 55 respectively. Suita'ble conductors for carrying current are connected to the elements 32 and lead through the frarnings 28 and 50 in conventional manner to controls (not shown) for automatically passing electric current to the elements as required. To control such current flow, the temperature sensing elements 34 are wired to the controls according to well-known practices so that upon sensing an unusual temperature condition each of the elements 34 will perform its control function upon the electric current flow to the device.

Supported on framing portion 20 is the towel wind-up mechanism 18, in an attitude above the ironing device 14 so that the toweling 8 passes directly from between the ironing plates 22 and 42 to the mechanism 18. The latter mechanism comprises a movable motor control bar pivoted on a bar 82 supported in the framing side walls 84, 84, a tensioning member 86, a toweling idler roll 88, a friction type toweling drive roll 90, and a wind-up bar 92 slidingly supported in slotted guides 94, 94 disposed on the inner faces of the side walls 84, 84, a motor drive 96 supported on the framing top plate 98 and a '3 drive clutch 100 coupled to the motor'for driving the drive roll 90.

The motor control bar 80 is connected by a lever 102 to the clutch 100 for engaging the motor drive, and the motor drive shaft is connected by a belt or chain drive 103 with the'drive roll 90 to rotate the same. As a supplementary drive for the toweling 8, a belt 104 can be connected to a pulley 106 mounted on the shaft 108 of the upper ironing roll 24 and outboard of the framing 28 and to a pulley 110 on the drive roll shaft 112 so that additional pull on the toweling can be applied if needed. When not necessary, the belt 104 can be removed from the pulleys 106 and 110.

The wind-up mechanism 18 further comprises the ten sion bar 120 supported in the side walls 84, 84 above the bar 82 and within the compass of the tensioning member 86. Bar 120 has a pair of towel guides 122, 122 adjustably arranged thereon to guide and restrict the toweling against shift as it passes to the toweling idler roll 88. The tensioning member 86 comprises the upper and lower arms 124, 126 extending from the levers 128, 128 which pivot on pins 130, 130 fixed in the members 132, 132 secured to the side walls 84, 84. At the digital ends of the arms 124 and 126 are secured the bars 134 and 136, bar 134 extending being secured to and between the arms 124, 124, and bar 136 being secured to and between the arms 126, 126.. The horizontal bars 134 and 136 are spaced apart vertically from each other and above and below, respectively, the intermediate bar 120. Thus, when the levers 128, 128 are pivoted inwardly the bars 134 and 136 cugage the toweling 8 and draw it tightly against the bar 120, and cause it to ride over and upon the lower bar 82 and the toweling idler roll 88. The members 132, 132 are each provided with notches 140, 140 which support the wind-up bar 92 in a rest position. When so postured, the leading end of the toweling 8 is manually wrapped around the bar 92 for two or three turns, and the thus wrapped bar is slid into the slotted guides 94, 94 until the toweling on the bar 92 comes to rest against the friction drive roll 90.

To secure the levers 128, 128 in their engaged position, they are provided with latch pins 146, 146 which are engaged by latches 148, 148 pivotally mounted upon the side walls 84, 84 for manual release from and automatic engagement with the pins as the levers are rotated away from or toward the rolls 88 and 90, respectively.

In operation, a person stands in front of the machine illustrated in FIGURE 1, i.e., to the left of and facing the wind-up mechanism 18 which is generally from 36" to 48 above the floor. The operator first opens the ironing device 14 by unlatching the front facing framing 50 from the framing 28 at the left side of the device, and pivoting the framing 50 on hinges 52 to expose the ironing plate 22 and rollers 24, 24, as shown in FIGURE 3. With the ironing plates separated, the leading end of the damp moist toweling 8 is drawn upwardly from its rest position on the stand adjacent the floor below the ironing device and passed over the roller 54, then downwardly under and around the vane type roller 58 and roller 62. With the ironing plates separated, the leading end of the toweling 8 is passed over the ironing plate 22 and the rollers 24, 24 to the mechanism 18.

The ironing plate 42 is swung back into position surmounting the plate 22 and rollers 24, 24 and the latches 53 are closed, securing the ironing plates closely upon the toweling 8. The toweling is now draped from its floor or rest stand position under the ironing device 14 to and over the roller 54, down under and around the vane type roller 58 and the guide roller 62 and into and through the ironing device 14. The function of the vane type roller 58 is to strike the toweling intermittently to flatten or beat it out if folded, before it passes into the ironing device. The roller 58 may be independently driven at a speed greater than or less than the speed at which the toweling is drawn through the ironing device.

The tensioning member 86 is pivoted outwardly and upwardly until the leading end of the toweling can be placed upon the wind-up bar 92 where it is manually applied for two or three turns. This application of the toweling is made by first placing the bar 92 into the notches 140, 140 and the toweling rolled onto the bar by hand until two or more turns have been applied. The towel covered bar is then raised from the notches 140, 140 and its ends are placed in the slotted guides 94, 94 and the towel covered bar brought down to rest upon the friction drive roll 90. The tensioning member 86 is then pivoted downwardly and inwardly on pivot pins 130, 130 so that the bars 120, 134, and 136 bear with tension applying force upon the toweling. The levers 128, 128 are secured in engaged position by the side latches 148, 148 which engage the pins 146, 146 secured to the levers. At the same time the toweling is caused to pass over and upon the 'bar 82 about which the motor control pivots.

The operator depresses the motor control bar 80 until the motor drive, which has been started, is actuated and the drive roll begins to rotate. Frictional engagement of the drive roll with the toweling on bar 92 effects rotation of the toweling and a wind-up of the same upon the bar 92, until the entire length of the toweling is wound upon the bar. Such toweling may be in various lengths, although at the present time most such toweling is approximately to 150 feet in length and about 12 to 14 inches in width.

The toweling, which is damp after washing and when it goes into the ironing device 14, is ironed by passing the same between the two smooth ironing plates 22 and 42 and over the rollers 24, 24, which are heated by the elements 32 to a temperature at which moisture in the toweling is substantially driven off. The wind-up speed is adjustable by manual adjusting operation of the control bar 80 to a rate at which the toweling is always under speed control by the operator, who guides it over the bar 82 by holding it at the outer edges in a posture such that the toweling begins to flow under and around the bar 136 and around and over the bar between the guide members 122, 122, while holding the outer edges of her two hands upon the control bar 80. The wind-up speed control can be provided in a number of ways and by a number of devices, the one described and illustrated being merely representative of one of such mechanisms.

After the toweling has been fully wound upon the bar 92, the towel and bar are lifted through the slotted guides 94, 94 until free thereof and taken from the mechanism 18 for storage or use. The bar 92 is withdrawn easily from the center of the towel roll and relocated upon the notches 140, for application of the next length of toweling and the repeat operation of the device 10.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A structure for continuously ironing and rolling toweling of substantial length comprising,

structural framing,

means supported on said framing for rolling ironed toweling into a roll,

means supported on said framing below said rolling means for ironing damp moist washed toweling of substantial length, said ironing means comprising a pair of separable ironing plates adapted to be heated and normally disposed in substantially adjacent face to face relationship for ironing said toweling therebetween, a housing for each of said ironing plates, each of said ironing plates being supported in its respective housing hingedly secured at one side thereof along adjacent vertically disposed edges for rotatable swinging movement of said plates one from the other, one of said housings being fixedly secured to said framing, the other of said housings being secured for pivoting movement to said one housing and disposed for swinging movement on a vertical axis at the front of said structure so as to separate said plates and admit toweling therebetween when said plates are separated and to close said plates upon said toweling into position for ironing the same as said toweling passes therebetween,

and means for releasably holding said ironing plates in toweling ironing position.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said fixedly secured housing comprises one of said ironing plates,

rollers secured for rotation on said housing in recesses disposed transversely of and in said ironing plate, said rollers being disposed on horizontal axes and in vertical alignment one above the other,

said rollers being disposed with portions thereof extending forwardly of said ironing plate. 3. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said housing disposed for swinging movement comprises the other of said ironing plates, horizontal recesses in said latter ironing plate adapted to complement rollers in said fixedly secured housing,

said latter ironing plate adapted to be spaced apart from said one ironing plate in said fixedly secured housing a distance sufficient to pass said toweling therebetween and over said rollers while bearing upon said toweling sufficiently to iron the same when said housings are closed upon each other and held in toweling ironing position.

4. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein a drive shaft for rotating the uppermost of said rollers is secured to said roller, said shaft having a portion thereof extending outboard of said housing, and means for rotating said shaft in conjunction with said means for rolling ironed toweling into a roll.

5. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said toweling is adapted to pass directly from between said ironing plates into said means for rolling ironed toweling into a roll.

6. The structure defined in claim 3, wherein said housing disposed for swinging movements is provided with an idler toweling roller horizontally disposed for rotation at the upper end of said housing and forwardly thereof, a vane type roller disposed for horizontal rotation at the lower end of said housing and forwardly thereof,

and an idler toweling roller disposed for horizontal rotation at the lower end of said housing and adjacent the inlet of said ironing means between said ironing plates.

7. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said ironing means includes electric heating elements secured to the inward side of said ironing plates within their respective housings for heating said plates,

thermal insulation within said housings behind said ironing plates to conserve the heat generated by said heating elements in said ironing plates,

and temperature sensing means in said ironing plates adjacent each of said heating elements to sense and signal the temperature of said ironing plate in the area adjacent each of said heating elements.

8. An ironing structure for continuous ironing of toweling of substantial length comprising structural supporting framing,

a pair of separable ironing plates adapted to be heated and normally disposed in substantially adjacent face to face relationship for ironing said toweling therebetween, a housing for each of said ironing plates, each of said ironing plates being supported in its respective housing hingedly secured together at one side thereof along adjacent vertically disposed edges for rotatable swinging movement of said plates one from the other, one of said housings being fixedly secured to said framing, the other of said housings being disposed for swinging movement on a vertical axis at the front of said structure so as to separate said plates and admit toweling therebetween when said plates are separated and to close said plates upon said toweling into position for ironing the same as said toweling passes therebetween, and means for releasably holding said ironing plates in toweling ironing position. 9. The structure defined in claim 8, wherein said fixedly secured housing comprises one of said ironing plates, rollers secured for rotation on said housing in recesses disposed transversely of and in said ironing plate, said rollers being disposed on horizontal axes and in vertical alignment one above the other, said rollers being disposed with portions thereof extending forwardly of said ironing plate. 10. The structure defined in claim 8, wherein said housing disposed for swinging movement comprises the other of said ironing plates, horizontal recesses in said latter ironing plate adapted to complement rollers in said fixedly secured housing, said latter ironing plate adapted to be spaced apart from said one ironing plate in said fixedly secured housing a distance sufficient to pass said toweling therebetween and over said rollers while bearing upon said toweling sufiiciently to iron the same when said housings are closed upon each other and held in toweling ironing position. 11. The structure defined in claim 8, wherein said housing disposed for swinging movements is provided with an idler toweling roller horizontally disposed for rotation at the upper end of said housing and forwardly thereof, a vane type roller disposed for horizontal rotation at the lower end of said housing and forwardly thereof, and an idler toweling roller disposed for horizontal rotation at the lower end of said housing and adjacent the inlet of said ironing means between said ironing plates. 12. The structure defined in claim 8, wherein said ironing means includes electric heating elements secured to the inward side of said ironing plates within their respective housings for heating said plates, thermal insulation within said housings behind said ironing plates to conserve the heat generated by said heating elements in said ironing plates, and temperature sensing means in said ironing plates adjacent each of said heating elements to sense and signal the temperature of said ironing plate in the area adjacent each of said heating elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

